IT is often said the sign of a very good team is one that can grind out victories when they are not playing well.

That was certainly the case on Saturday for Exeter Chiefs, many of whose players were in action for the first time since mid-November, as they defeated Doncaster Knights 14-9 in the Championship.

The Chiefs looked a bit ring-rusty, and served up an error-riddled display against a Doncaster side who have been revitalised in recent weeks after their dreadful start to the season. However, the Knights were no better, and even though they finally got on level terms at 9-9 with nine minutes left on the clock, they never really looked like winning the game.

Their tactical kicking was woeful, giving Exeter the chance to control large parts of the contest, particularly in the first half, and prop Chris Budgen's 77th-minute try eventually handed the visitors their triumph.

The performance was by no means memorable, but it was another important victory at a tough place to visit – and just look at the table. Twelve wins out of 12, still well clear at the top of the Championship and only ten games of the regular league season remaining.

As long as Exeter are hitting their straps come the play-offs in March, no one will remember a pretty grim December afternoon in south Yorkshire.

Exeter head coach Rob Baxter said: "We didn't play our best, but we hadn't used this group of players for two weeks and they were always going to be a little bit rusty – that was always the chance we were taking.

"We hoped the freshness and enthusiasm would overcome any rustiness, and that is just about what happened.

"We still controlled the game in the final period after it went 9-9, and that's what gave us the opportunity to win, and all credit to the guys, they kept their cool.

"We weathered a few storms out there and had to scramble a few times defensively, but I think overall, we deserved the win, based on territory and possession, and probably scoring opportunities we created, but it was slightly frustrating we didn't convert more."

He added: "Sometimes you win ugly and you win late in the game and you sneak it. I don't think we sneaked it. We probably got a result we deserved, but we made hard work of it.

"However, as long as the players keep showing the endeavour they are showing at the moment, and keep working hard and have that kind of desire to win and stick in to games, then we will be fine."

The match-winning try was a rare moment of quality in a poor game, and was worthy of clinching the spoils.

Replacement lock Chris Bentley rose high to claim a ten-metre line-out, Doncaster disrupted Exeter's initial drive, but the forwards regrouped and trundled their way over, with Budgen getting his third try of the season.

Fly-half Gareth Steenson missed the difficult conversion, but it did not matter.

He had earlier booted Exeter into a 6-0 lead with two penalties inside the opening 23 minutes, before Doncaster fly-half Ali Warnock responded with his own penalty just past the half-hour mark.

The Chiefs then took a strike against the head at a scrum midway inside the Doncaster half to present centre Matt Cornwell with a 35-metre drop goal opportunity, which he gloriously accepted to make it 9-3, and that is how the scoreboard stayed until the 70th minute.

In between those moments, Exeter winger Mark Foster twice had to rescue his side, first catching Doncaster full-back Steve McColl 22 metres short of the line after he had raced 60 metres following an interception of Steenson's pass deep into first-half injury time.

Foster's second timely intervention came six minutes after the break, when he halted opposite number Chris Briers in the corner with a fine try-saving tackle.

Soon after that, Exeter had a period of intense pressure on the Knights' line, when a try would surely have sealed the win, but superb home defence kept them out, and all of a sudden the visitors were level, and with their tails up.

McColl smacked over a mammoth 54-metre penalty, and 60 seconds later, Warnock produced a 40-metre drop goal to make it 9-9, but Exeter retained their composure to score a late try to protect their proud Championship winning streak.